National Post » George Drydenhttp://news.nationalpost.com
Tue, 03 Mar 2015 22:56:17 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://1.gravatar.com/blavatar/bf69214e83fdd5520e4b5d91ba3b7d64?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png » George Drydenhttp://news.nationalpost.com
‘How could that possibly hurt?’: Man must turn to mother to prove claim he is Diefenbaker's son after DNA inconclusivehttp://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/08/how-could-that-possibly-hurt-man-must-turn-to-mother-to-prove-claim-he-is-diefenbakers-son-after-dna-inconclusive/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/08/how-could-that-possibly-hurt-man-must-turn-to-mother-to-prove-claim-he-is-diefenbakers-son-after-dna-inconclusive/#commentsWed, 09 Jan 2013 02:40:33 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=249815

TORONTO — A man who believes he’s the son of former prime minister John Diefenbaker is pleading to have his mother confirm his paternity, now that he’s drawn a disappointing blank in his latest bid for genetic certainty.

Exhaustive DNA tests on a tooth found in a museum in Saskatoon were unable to come up with a definitive match to end George Dryden’s quest once and for all.

“Unfortunately, so many people have mishandled the material over the years that it has been compromised to the point where it is impossible to obtain a clear DNA profile of Mr. Diefenbaker,” the testing company said in a letter this week to Dryden.

“The evaluation we were able to do indicated some matching markers, but the results are inconclusive.”

Dryden, 44, who bears a striking resemblance to Canada’s 13th prime minister, has been on a two-year quest to nail down his paternity since discovering that Gordon Dryden, the man he always thought was his dad, was not his biological father.

His mother, Mary-Lou Dryden, was a known confidante of Diefenbaker, who was prime minister from 1957 to 1963 and died in 1979. She may have had an affair with the PM that produced Dryden, although Diefenbaker has always been believed to have been childless.

Dryden called the latest DNA dead end “disappointing.”

“We’re looking for a needle in a haystack trying to get DNA from somebody who’s been dead for almost 35 years,” Dryden said Tuesday.

“We’ve pretty much come to the end of the road if we can’t get it off his tooth.”

‘We’re looking for a needle in a haystack trying to get DNA from somebody who’s been dead for almost 35 years’

The Toronto businessman said the most obvious and viable next step is to find out from his mother who his father really was.

The problem, Dryden said, is that Gordon Dryden is keeping his wife at an unspecified location and won’t allow him to see her amid a soured relationship exacerbated by a lawsuit over family money.

Still, if he can’t ask himself, Dryden said, perhaps a doctor or some other neutral party or family member could pose the paternity question to his mom.

“Why can’t we just get her to say?” Dryden said.

“How could that possibly hurt and that would be the easiest way to end this thing.”

Gordon Dryden, a lawyer and former treasurer of the federal Liberal party, has previously refused to talk about the situation. He could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Dryden said he still planned to change his name to Diefenbaker in light of an earlier DNA test he said shows he’s related to the ex-PM’s clan.

After nearly two frustrating years trying to prove John Diefenbaker is his father, Toronto’s George Dryden has found relief in the nub of a Q-tip — a waxy, days-old cotton swab obtained surreptitiously by a private investigator tasked with garnering a sample from a man believed related to the former prime minister.

“There’s some genetic overlap,” said Harvey Tenenbaum, head of the DNA-testing company that examined the sample, Accu-Metrics.

Mr. Dryden said he got a call last week from Mr. Tenenbaum saying he is a “distant relative” of the source of the ear wax — a man Mr. Dryden said he tracked down through the help of a geneologist months ago.

“I’m taking the position that Diefenbaker is my father because I think I have the DNA evidence to prove it,” he said.

The National Post has been following Mr. Dryden’s personal saga ever since January, 2011, when Mr. Dryden first went public with a court claim alleging he is Diefenbaker’s natural son.

Last summer, Mr. Dryden found out the man who raised him — Gordon Dryden, a lawyer and stalwart Liberal who served 18 years as federal party treasurer — was not, in fact, his biological father. Ever since, he has been trying to prove his long-held suspicion that his mother, a prominent political socialite and singer named Mary Lou Lonergan, had an affair with the Conservative former prime minister.

I think the DNA shows I’m related to the Diefenbakers because the only contact that I’m aware of — or that I’m sure happened — between the Diefenbaker family and the Lonergan family is between my mom and the prime minister

He obtained samples from artifacts housed at Saskatoon’s Diefenbaker Canada Centre, but those results came back inconclusive. He tried calling 20 or so believed Diefenbaker relatives, but none would agree to give a sample. And before landing on the Q-tip results, Mr. Tenenbaum said he tested several other items, such as a Kleenex and an envelope, but those held little in the way of viable DNA.

Mr. Tenenbaum said the latest results are “encouraging” because they reveal an “inference” of a familial relationship, though he was cautious to avoid saying the results are conclusive. But Mr. Dryden, who will turn 44 on Oct. 1, said the only explanation for a genetic overlap is that his mother was romantically involved with the former prime minister.

“I think the DNA shows I’m related to the Diefenbakers because the only contact that I’m aware of — or that I’m sure happened — between the Diefenbaker family and the Lonergan family is between my mom and the prime minister,” said Mr. Dryden, who cites his appearance and his full name, John George Dryden, as clues he is John George Diefenbaker’s son. Mr. Dryden says his mother introduced him to Diefenbaker in 1977, and the former PM told him “you were named for me.’’

His mother, who Mr. Dryden said he has not seen since last summer, told the National Post in early 2011 her son’s claim was “crazy,” while her husband at the time called the allegation “absolute rubbish.”

Historians have doubted the former prime minister was unfaithful to his second wife, Olive, with Peter C. Newman, author of the 1963 book Renegade in Power: The Diefenbaker Years, saying “everybody has secrets, but I certainly did not come across any of that kind of thing.”

At the time of any alleged liaison, Diefenbaker, who bore no known children of his own, would have been in his early 70s, while Ms. Dryden would have been in her early 30s.

Mr. Dryden said the latest DNA development might well mark “the end of the road” for him, although he is not ruling out another possible avenue: The Saskatchewan centre last week found a few strands of what it believes is Diefenbaker’s hair, and while the hairs are apparently rootless and ineligible for traditional testing, Mr. Dryden is looking into whether an American firm could do mitochondrial testing, which does not require a root.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/09/05/with-the-help-of-a-distant-relative-and-some-ear-wax-man-finds-evidence-he-believes-proves-hes-diefenbakers-son/feed/1std“I’m taking the position that Diefenbaker is my father because I think I have the DNA evidence to prove it,” said George Dryden, right.Man ‘confident’ he is John Diefenbaker’s son despite inconclusive DNA resultshttp://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/02/man-confident-he-is-john-diefenbakers-son-despite-inconclusive-dna-results/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/02/man-confident-he-is-john-diefenbakers-son-despite-inconclusive-dna-results/#commentsMon, 02 Jan 2012 22:05:46 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=125367

A Toronto man claiming to be the son of former prime minister John George Diefenbaker expressed frustration Monday after DNA tests came back inconclusive.

“It’s just another step that we’re going to have to take to get the answer to this,” John George Dryden said. “I’m confident we will get the answer and I am confident that I’m Diefenbaker’s son…. The only thing left to do is just scientifically prove it.”

Mr. Dryden, a 43-year-old legal consultant, went public a year ago with his belief that he was the only biological child of Canada’s 13th prime minister. He alleges his mother, Conservative socialite Mary Lou Dryden, had an affair with Diefenbaker more than four decades ago, but has yet to uncover any genetic proof. Mr. Dryden says family members have long held suspicions based on his appearance and name.

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Tests have ruled out Gordon Dryden, a former Liberal party stalwart who raised Mr. Dryden, as his biological father.

Mr. Dryden was hoping the ultimate answer would come via DNA testing of samples from artifacts stored at Saskatchewan’s Diefenbaker Canada Centre. The centre allowed scientists to gather 10 samples from objects including the former prime minister’s pipe, hats and a leather watch strap, but the only one that contained viable DNA was the handle of a garment brush.

Further testing produced no match, but the results were deemed inconclusive because the brush handle contained DNA from more than one source, meaning the sample may have come from someone other than Diefenbaker.

All of which leaves Mr. Dryden no further ahead than he was months ago, when the centre agreed to co-operate with his request for access to potential Diefenbaker DNA samples. He said Monday he may approach the museum again to request access to additional samples.

In the meantime, Mr. Dryden is taking other steps to determine his true parentage.

“We’re going to be reaching out to other Diefenbaker relatives that are still living that we’re aware of and see if we can’t get one of them to come through and do a test with me,” Mr. Dryden said, noting while relatives have not been receptive to the concept in the past, he has decided to “take another shot.”

Diefenbaker, who served as prime minister from 1957 to 1963, died in 1979.

One year has passed since John George Dryden told the National Post he suspects he is the son of former prime minister John George Diefenbaker.

The 43-year-old Torontonian has since scientifically ruled out the man who raised him — Gordon Dryden, a former Liberal Party stalwart — as his biological father. A $30-million civil suit he launched last year against Gordon, his mother Mary Lou, and his brother alleging historic wrongdoing in connection to the division of an uncle’s estate was recently dismissed, save for a defamation claim against Gordon.

Mr. Dryden plans to appeal the Ontario court’s decision before Christmas, according to a statement to be released on Monday. As early as this week, Warnex PRO-DNA services will deliver its results based on samples taken from the Conservative politician’s artifacts stored at Saskatchewan’s Diefenbaker Canada Centre.

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If the results come back positive, Mr. Dryden will be confirmed as Diefenbaker’s only biological child. If the results are negative, Mr. Dryden said he hopes to get answers from his ailing mother, whom he says is being kept from him by Gordon.

The National Post’s Kathryn Blaze Carlson spoke with Mr. Dryden about his hopes and his fears as he awaits the DNA results. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Q. Which artifacts did Warnex sample to try to obtain Diefenbaker’s DNA?

A. They were able to get 10 samples. They got six samples from four of his different hats, they got the end of his pipe, they got a wristwatch band, they got a hairbrush — I don’t think there were any strands with the roots attached but it may have skin particles, and they got a handle from his garment brush.

Q. How are you feeling ahead of the much-anticipated results?

A. I’ve pretty much made up my mind that [Diefenbaker] is my father. If it’s not him, I have no idea who else it could be. Warnex is apparently famous for getting DNA from dinosaurs and lost tribes, so these guys know what they’re doing. As long as they can get a DNA sample, I’m quite confident it’s going to be a match.

Q. What’s the best-case scenario?

A. The best-case scenario would be a positive match. That way I would know who my father is — that way I could stop searching. This has been a very time-consuming, emotional, and expensive year-long proposition.

Q. The worst-case scenario?

A. The absolute worst-case scenario would be that the results are inconclusive. I’d have to take the next steps mentioned in the press release [including contacting living Diefenbaker relatives and locating “any other alleged unrecognized descendants”]. I would rather the results come back negative than inconclusive, because that would at least eliminate Diefenbaker.

Q. If Diefenbaker turns out to be your father, what will it mean for you to be the son of a former prime minister?

A. That would be a great honour. I have learned not to count my chickens before they hatch, but I am open to any and all suggestions [regarding how to honour his legacy]. At this moment, I have no interest in running for public office, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s ‘Never say never.’

Q. If you were to have a face-to-face conversation with your mother today, what would you say?

A. I would just want to say, ‘Mom, look, I really need to know who my Dad is. Please tell me. I’m not mad at you. I just want to know who my Dad is.’ I think she would tell me, but I just need to get the chance to see her.

Q. If you had five minutes with Diefenbaker, what would you say?

A. That’s a good question. I met him once as a little boy, [when I was with my mother at an event in Ottawa]. After he kissed and hugged my mom — and after giving me a long, caring look up and down — he said I was named for him. I would absolutely ask him if he’s my father — that’s the whole point of this year-long process.

The following is a press release from John George Dryden, the Toronto man claiming to be the son of former prime minister John George Diefenbaker. The allegations outlined in the statement have not been proven in court. Gordon Dryden has repeatedly declined to comment, as the matter is still before the courts.

John George Dryden is pleased to provide the following update on his quest to determine if he is the biological son of Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker and his litigation against the immediate members of the Dryden family in Toronto, Ontario:

“On December 6, 2011, Warnex sent its scientist to retrieve DNA samples from the Diefenbaker Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. The Centre allowed samples to be taken from a limited number of items that it provided. Results are expected before the new year. If the test results prove inconclusive, renewed efforts will immediately be undertaken to see if living relatives of Mr. Diefenbaker might now agree to provide samples and if other relatives, including any other alleged unrecognized descendants, of the late Prime Minister can be located and approached to be tested.

“On November 30, 2011, The Honourable Justice Beth Allen released Reasons in support of Dryden motions dismissing all claims against Gordon Dryden, Mary Lou Dryden and Barrie Dryden Jr., save for the defamation action against Gordon, that continues. In the opinion of George Dryden, Justice Allen erred in law and failed to address the principal issues at the heart of the litigation, namely, the breach of fiduciary duty of Gordon Dryden while acting as sole executor of the Lonergan Estate, Gordon’s being in an undisclosed conflict of interest and the extended implications to Mary Lou and, particularly, Barrie Dryden Jr., whom it is alleged received a windfall inheritance and other benefits under deceitful conditions to further Gordon’s unlawful ambitions to exclude George from any family wealth.

“Stephen A. Edell, lawyer for George, has been instructed to launch an appeal on all findings of Justice Allen to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The appeal is expected to be issued before Christmas and could be heard as early as the spring of 2012.

“I am confident that the Court of Appeal will set aside the Judgment of Justice Allen in all material respects,” said George, “and allow my lawsuit to proceed on its merits. I appreciate that central aspects of my claims may well be “new law” and hopefully the highest court in Ontario will recognize the injustices that have been perpetrated against me, without provocation on my part, at the hands of Gordon Dryden and agree that they must be determined at trial and not by threshold motion without evidence or cross-examinations. I will not rest until justice is done.

“Further, Gordon Dryden continues to deny me access to my mother that I understand is in a city run long-term facility and that her health is very poor. I am praying that the Court of Appeal’s ruling will be helpful and timely and that I might hopefully get to see my mother again before she dies.”

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/19/john-george-dryden-diefenbakers-alleged-son-puts/feed/0stdGeorge DrydenMan claiming to be John Diefenbaker's son could know paternity by Christmashttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/11/18/man-claiming-to-be-john-diefenbakers-son-could-know-paternity-by-christmas/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/11/18/man-claiming-to-be-john-diefenbakers-son-could-know-paternity-by-christmas/#commentsFri, 18 Nov 2011 17:52:10 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=110789

The Toronto man claiming to be the son of John Diefenbaker should know by Christmas whether he is the former prime minister’s only biological child.

A Thunder Bay-based DNA firm confirmed on Friday it will send analyst Curtis Hildebrandt to Saskatoon on Dec. 6 to take DNA samples from artifacts stored at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre. Dr. Amarjit Charhal, a senior director with Warnex PRO-DNA, said he will review the swabs in the lab and will likely reach a conclusion before the holidays.

“If it turns out (Diefenbaker) is my father, that’d be quite the Christmas present,” said George Dryden, a 42-year-old legal consultant on a quest to establish whether his mother, at the time a well-known Conservative socialite, was romantically involved with the Conservative prime minister. “I’m relieved to get a date and am looking forward to an answer.”

In a civil suit launched last year, Mr. Dryden alleges that Gordon Dryden, once a prominent Liberal and the man who raised him, and his mother, Mary Lou, signed a false birth certificate “due to the social stigma and political sensitivities prevalent in Canadian society in 1968.” A DNA test conducted in June conclusively determined Gordon Dryden is not Mr. Dryden’s biological father.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

Dr. Charhal said the firm is waiting for the centre to send pictures of its inventory, so it is still unclear which artifacts Mr. Hildebrandt will test when he is in Saskatoon for a day. The centre initially denied Mr. Dryden’s request, but in September the executive director agreed to co-operate and said the centre would provide access to hair brushes, bedding, clothes brushes, and blankets so long as the objects are not harmed or removed from the premises.

“In terms of the science, we will treat this as we would treat any other case,” Dr. Charhal said, adding that the firm has been involved in other high-profile historic cases, such as the disappearance of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart and the identification of World War I soldiers. “It’s historic and it’s of significant public interest, so we’re excited to be a part of finding the answer.”

Mr. Diefenbaker, who served as Conservative prime minister from 1957 to 1963, died in 1979.

Mr. Dryden’s paternity claim rests on what he says are long-held suspicions by family members, and conjectures stemming from his appearance, his name, his mother’s allegedly close friendship with Diefenbaker and his own tense relationship with Gordon Dryden.

Gordon Dryden, a lawyer who served as federal Liberal party treasurer for 18 years, has said he has “no comment whatsoever” on the case, in which George Dryden is suing him, Mary Lou, and George’s brother for $30-million. Mr. Dryden said he hopes the proceedings will rectify what he believes are historic wrongdoings, including allegations that Gordon Dryden cut him out of his uncle’s estate because Gordon Dryden knew he was not his biological son.

He said he also hopes to reconnect with his ailing mother, whom he says is being kept from him by Gordon.

“If it turns out (Diefenbaker) is not my father, then I’m going to need to work on getting access to my mom so I can have a heart-to-heart with her and figure this out.”

Mr. Dryden has said he will not make a claim against the Diefenbaker estate, and is only looking to determine whether the former prime minister is his father.kcarlson@nationalpost.com

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]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/11/18/man-claiming-to-be-john-diefenbakers-son-could-know-paternity-by-christmas/feed/1stdGeorge Dryden poses for a portrait outside Toronto's Church of the Redeemer, Tuesday afternoon, January 4, 2011. Dryden, who was raised by a prominent Liberal but who believes he is the son of former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.Man claiming to be Diefenbaker’s son could know paternity within weekshttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/16/man-claiming-to-be-diefenbakers-son-could-know-paternity-within-weeks/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/16/man-claiming-to-be-diefenbakers-son-could-know-paternity-within-weeks/#commentsFri, 16 Sep 2011 19:02:38 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=94844

A Toronto man claiming to be the son of former prime minister John Diefenbaker has been granted access to potential DNA samples and could know within two weeks whether he is the Conservative politician’s only biological child.

After initially denying his request, the Diefenbaker Canada Centre in Saskatoon has agreed to cooperate in John George Dryden’s quest to establish whether his mother, at the time a well-known Conservative socialite, was romantically involved with Diefenbaker.

“We have sympathy for Mr. Dryden’s situation and are willing to help where possible,” executive director Michael Atkinson said in a letter to Mr. Dryden’s lawyer, dated Sept. 15 and obtained by the National Post. “We will make available to your client artifacts for inspection and DNA testing under the conditions that are outlined below.”

The artifacts must be handled by a respectable forensic firm, remain on the centre’s premises, and cannot be damaged in the course of testing, the letter says.

Mr. Dryden, a 42-year-old legal consultant who goes by the name of George, said he is “extremely excited” at the news, especially because living Diefenbaker relatives have so far declined to provide him with genetic material.

“I am feeling a lot of emotions, and nervous is not one of them,” Mr. Dryden said in an interview. “Diefenbaker is the best lead I have. I think he’s my father, and this will hopefully confirm that. It would be a great honour.”

In a civil suit launched last year, Mr. Dryden alleges that Gordon Dryden, once a prominent Liberal, and his mother, Mary Lou, signed a false birth certificate “due to the social stigma and political sensitivities prevalent in Canadian society in 1968.” A DNA test conducted in June conclusively determined that Gordon Dryden, now in his mid-’80s, is not Mr. Dryden’s biological father.

Mr. Atkinson did not specify which decades-old artifacts will be tested, although he told Postmedia News last week that the centre has “hair brushes, clothes brushes, bedding, blankets and things like that.” He said the centre originally denied access to the items because neither he nor the curator believed the belongings contained viable traces of Diefenbaker’s DNA.

According to the letter, experts at the University of Saskatchewan have recommended Mr. Dryden hire one of two firms “whose standards are well known” — Warnex PRO-DNA in Thunder Bay, Ont., and Maxxam Analytics, in Guelph, Ont.

However back in June, Mr. Dryden provided another firm, EasyDNA, with his own sample so that it would be ready “for this very moment,” he said, adding that he was in touch with the firm on Friday to discuss sending a technician to Saskatoon by next week. EasyDNA had collected his sample free of charge, he said.

Dr. Amarjit Charhal, a senior director with Warnex PRO-DNA, said his firm has never flown a technician or identification officer to a site for testing, but said the company would be willing to send someone to the centre to take swabs. He said that while the entire endeavor would likely take about five days and run Mr. Dryden roughly $2,000 — travel costs plus the usual forensic fee — the firm might be willing to waive some of the costs given the historic nature of the claim.

Mr. Dryden’s paternity claim rests on what he says are long-held suspicions by family members, and conjectures stemming from his appearance, his name, his mother’s allegedly close friendship with Diefenbaker, and his own tense relationship with Gordon Dryden.

“When George was born in 1968, members of the extended Dryden family secretly suspected that George was the natural child of John Diefenbaker,” according to the statement of claim, which was filed last December to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

The statement of claim says that at the time of Gordon and Mary Lou’s high-profile wedding on Sept. 25, 1967, Ms. Dryden was a “prominent political and church socialite and singer. She was a close personal friend and confidante of Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker and was often seen by his side at political events and as his companion on social occasions.”

Gordon Dryden, a lawyer who served as federal Liberal Party treasurer for 18 years, told the National Post last month he had “no comment whatsoever” on the case, in which George Dryden is suing him, Mary Lou, and George’s brother for $30-million.

Mr. Dryden said he hopes the proceedings will rectify what he believes are historic wrongdoings, including allegations that Gordon Dryden cut him out of his uncle’s estate because he knew Mr. Dryden was not his biological son. He said he also hopes to reconnect with his ailing mother, whom he claims has been kept from him by Gordon Dryden.

No statement of defence has been filed, and the allegations have not been proven in court.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/16/man-claiming-to-be-diefenbakers-son-could-know-paternity-within-weeks/feed/1stdGeorge Dryden poses for a portrait outside Toronto's Church of the Redeemer, Tuesday afternoon, January 4, 2011. Dryden, who was raised by a prominent Liberal but who believes he is the son of former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.Man who claims he’s Diefenbaker’s son closer to discovering true paternityhttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/26/man-who-claims-hes-diefenbakers-son-closer-to-discovering-true-paternity/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/26/man-who-claims-hes-diefenbakers-son-closer-to-discovering-true-paternity/#commentsFri, 26 Aug 2011 11:00:53 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=91194

A Toronto man who claims he may be John Diefenbaker’s biological son is one step closer to discovering his true paternity after a DNA test revealed he is not the child of the man who raised him.

In a civil suit launched last year, John George Dryden alleges he is Diefenbaker’s son and that Gordon Dryden, once a prominent Liberal, and his mother, at the time a well-known Conservative socialite, signed a false birth certificate “due to the social stigma and political sensitivities prevalent in Canadian society in 1968.”

According to documents filed with a Toronto court last week, a DNA test conducted in June conclusively determined that Gordon Dryden, now in his mid-80s, is not George Dryden’s biological father.

George Dryden has so far been unable to acquire a sample of Diefenbaker’s DNA from artifacts or living relatives, and has no genetic proof that his mother, Mary Lou, had an affair with the Conservative prime minister when she was in her 30s and he was in his 70s.

Gordon Dryden, a lawyer who served as federal Liberal party treasurer for 18 years, said he had “no comment whatsoever” on the case, in which George Dryden is suing him, Mary Lou, and George’s brother for $30-million.

George Dryden said he hopes the proceedings will rectify what he believes are historic wrongdoings, including allegations surrounding the division of his uncle’s estate.

No statement of defence has been filed, and the allegations have not been proven in court. Lawyers representing Mr. and Mrs. Dryden could not be reached for comment.

George Dryden’s paternity claim rests on what he says are long-held suspicions by family members, and conjectures stemming from his appearance, his name, his mother’s allegedly close friendship with Diefenbaker, and his own tense relationship with Gordon Dryden.

“I’m 99.9% certain I’m Diefenbaker’s son,” the 42-year-old legal consultant said in an interview. “I just want to prove that so I can start living my life as John Diefenbaker II.”

His lawyer, Stephen Edell, said the University of Saskatchewan’s Diefenbaker Canada Centre, which houses Diefenbaker artifacts, is considering a request for a DNA sample and that a decision is expected next month. The centre did not respond to a request for comment.

George Dryden said he has contacted several living Diefenbaker relatives, although none has expressed a willingness to provide a genetic sample.

A full-day hearing is scheduled for Nov. 7, when a judge will determine whether the case can proceed given that George Dryden signed a release precluding him from suing the defendants as part of a settlement involving his uncle’s estate in 2004.